alyssakeil's blog

Team La Push is a group of 20 students and three teachers from Boston International Newcomers Academy in Boston, Massachusetts. The team will be participating in a service-learning trip to live and work with the Quileute Nation on their reservation in La Push, Washington in April. These students are all immigrants and English Language Learners, coming from eight different countries - some have lived in Boston for less than one year. While learning about Native American life and culture, the students are developing leadership and entrepreneurial skills through teamwork and fundraising. In addition, they will gain an appreciation of their impact on the lives of others through their service projects with the Quileute community. >> Read More

Clap Innovation School will be hosting an evening with world-renowned and champion fiddler Hanneke Cassel at the Carpenters Center, located at 750 Dorchester Ave. The evening will open with a social hour at 7 p.m. and the concert starts at 8 p.m. Tickets will be limited for this event, and are $20.00, available through Roger Clap Innovation School. For more information about this event, please read the flier attached below, or call Roger Clap Innovation School at 617.635.8672. All proceeds will benefit the Roger Clap Innovation School and its students!

As part of the John F. Kennedy Library's Celebrate! series, experience the energy and excitement of African Dance on February 22, at 10:30 a.m. Join with Djembe dell'Arte, accompanied by drumming ensemble Troupe Komee Djosee from Mali, West Africa. The performance features authentic African masks and costumes, folk dances of Mali, and a lively drum circle. The event is free, however registration is required. Register for this particular event here! The John F. Kennedy Library is located at Columbia Point in Dorchester, 02125.

Are you a caregiver of young children, looking for ways to relax and de-stress? Join for an evening discussion on taking care of yourself and minimizing stress. This workshop will offer several strategies to make your days and nights more pleasant and enjoyable! Dinner will be served. RSVP by phone to Tuyen Nguyen at 617.740.2586, or by email at tuyen.nguyen@dorchesterhouse.org. Please RSVP if you will need childcare. The meeting will be held on Thursday, February 16, 2012 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. in the multi-purpose room of Dorchester House, located at 1353 Dorchester Ave in Dorchester, MA.

Follow evidence of winter wildlife through the woods on snowshoes in Gladeside Urban Wild, a special Mattapan forest, on February 11, from 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.! Gladeside Urban Wild is located at 250 Lorna Road in Mattapan (click here to see it on a map). In the event that there is not a good layer of snow on the ground, this will be a walking tour. Dress warmly! Snowshoes for borrow are limited and registration is required. Contact Boston Natural Areas Network at 617.542.7696 or email info [at] bostonnatural.org.

On Monday, February 13, Dorchester People for Peace (DPP) will be holding a Monthly Meeting, from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Vietnamese American Community Center (VietAID), at 42 Charles St., Fields Corner (near the Red Line station). DPP will be following up on previous discussions and plans for upcoming campaigns. The group will discuss the fight against MBTA cutbacks and fare increases, war budgets and military spending, the possibility of a war with Iran, and state and local government, input on military spending. DPP will also discuss and evaluate the long-standing school Opt-Out of military recruiting campaign and make decisions about the futures. The DPP Facilitation Team will be meeting to flesh out these and other agenda items. If you have additional suggestions and agenda items, please send to Rosemary (rosemarykean [at] yahoo.com), Denise (denisezwahlen [at] yahoo.com) or Jeff (jjk123 [at] comcast.net).

St. Joseph Rehabilitation and Nursing Care Center in collaboration with The Boston Police Neighborhood Watch Unit cordially invite you to attend a neighborhood meeting that will feature: Neighbors getting to know Neighbors, a discussion of important trends, issues, and the most recent break-ins to homes. Share your ideas and concerns to make a better and safer neighborhood. Get connected and learn what's going on! Contact Lauren Scherer at 617.825.6320x1631 or lscherer [at] stjosephrehab.com. St. Joseph's is located at 321 Centre Street in Dorchester.

On February 7 from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. attend the first Dot Grows Garden Council meeting of 2012! The February meeting will be held at 305 Talbot Ave. Dorchester (site of the Mt. Washington Bank Community Room located in Codman Square). Local gardeners and garden advocates will share updates on: renovations in Dorchester community gardens, Dorchester Winter Farmers’ Market, Boston Is Growing Gardens, and the ongoing 2012 Master Urban Gardener series, among other items. Mathew Cahill of BNAN will be on hand to announce Grow Boston Greener, a competitive grant program that will provide funding for community tree plantings in the City of Boston. For more information, or if you would like to be added to the agenda, please feel free to contact Grantley at grantley@bostonnatural.org.

To commemorate Black History Month, our friends at Discover Roxbury have some fun and informative events lined up. On February 11, Roxbury's Black History Trolley Tour will be taking off from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Take an informative trolley tour through three centuries of Boston's historic Black neighborhoods! Follow the progression of the Black churches of Boston, the importance of the arts, the struggles during the civil rights movement, and become more familiar with the movers, shakers, and strivers in Roxbury's Black history! The trolley departs at:

On Wednesday, February 15, 2012, the John F. Kennedy Library will be hosting a forum in commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the White House Tour with Jacqueline Kennedy. Join the JFK Library for a screening and discussion of Mrs. Kennedy's famous televised tour of the White House with current White House curator William Allman. This forum is happening from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. in Stephen Smith Hall at the JFK Library, Dorchester. All forums are free and open to the public. To make reservations and for further information, visit the JFK Library web site or call (617) 514-1643.